We’ve booked a holiday home for Christmas 2021

[Poppins17]

We have booked a lovely holiday home for 6 of us and 2 dogs from 24th to 28th December.

Any recommendations of what to take with us? We have never been away for Christmas in the UK before.

We will do a food shop when we arrive for drinks, snacks, breakfasts and food for Christmas Eve and Boxing Day, and hope to book somewhere for Christmas lunch and maybe head out somewhere on 27th.

But what should we not forget? I want to make a list of things and start a box off soon to spread the cost (obviously used by dates pending).

We (my husband, brother and brother in law) have bought the stay as a gift for my moms 65th birthday which is in October, so I want to do a lot of the organising so I can let my parents know what has been sorted when we reveal the present to her (them) in October.

We have a large car and a roof box so aren’t too limited in terms of what we can take with us.

Thanks in advance!

Is there a good local butcher? Might be possible to pre order and pre-pay for turkey/stuffing/pigs in blankets if so. But if you had to cancel at the last minute for some reason then you’d lose your money.

But yes, roasting tin, carving knife and potato peeler all essential.

Thanks @GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER for sharing your experience - all really useful tips and info!

Thanks to everyone else too. I’ve contacted the place and the management company aren’t sure there will be a tree - a little disappointing considering the amount we are paying for the place so we may have to factor that in to what we take with us. I don’t think laying out gifts on Christmas Eve or opening them Christmas morning without a tree will actually feel quite right.

I’m still waiting for a nearby restaurant to let me know if we can book a table, then we can work out our other meals from there.

I’m usually the first up so will perhaps plan continental breakfast one morning and full English another and do those myself before people get up… we’ll see. I know we’re not even in July yet, but Autumn and Winter are my months, I love them and I’m so excited to be spending Christmas with my family this year!

Having done similar (visited family but stayed in a cottage) as well as lots of SC over the years:

I have a box that I bring with 3 sharp knives (in covers), 2 wooden spoons, a serving spoon, a spatula, a whisk, a tongs etc (most of the latter are a cheap non-stick set from Ikea that was about €3), tin opener, corkscrew, veg peeler and a small Ikea chopping board etc. While the knives and ikea bits were bought specifically for the box, the rest were all bought on various SC trips where they were not in the house and just added to the box. There's also a set of silicon oven mitts (as very small) as there are often no oven gloves.

A half used box of coffee filters, half used box of ice-making bags for freezer, half used box of ziploc sandwich bags, part used roll of tin foil, part used bag of bamboo skewers, part used roll of bin liners etc - again all bought while away and I already have some at home so handy to leave in the box for other travel uses. A handful of plastic pegs is also useful - I bought a cheap pack from Dealz (our version of Poundland) to keep in it, and because they are clean and not always out on the line like my normal home ones, they can be used to peg food packages closed as well as hang clean laundry.

Things I make sure are restocked include: box of Matches, ziploc bag with 4/5 firelighters, 100ml squeezy bottle of fairy liquid, ziploc bag with 10 dishwasher tablets and 5 washing machine pods. And a handful of tealight candles.

I usually bring a couple of "fire in a bag" or "firelogs" with me for winter trips, for easy starting of fires.

I also agree with hot water bottles. (We also bring a pillow each as there are not usually enough and I need allergy free not feathers).

I normally bring a torch, just in case. But some battery operated tealights and/or fairy lights draped around are great to add atmosphere.

A small tree for the tabletop might be a good idea if you don't have room to bring a bigger one. Or a swag to run down the table centre with a few decorations on it or hang from the bannisters/fireplace/breakfast bar... (might take less room and be easier to manage). Or some foil decorations to hang from ceilings and some window clings would both take up very little space. And some nice festive napkins.

Also, if you have space, maybe get a set each of 6 wine, 6 flutes and 6 water glasses (Ikea, decent supermarket etc) and bring them in their box - water can do both water and beer duty. But often there aren't enough or none match, and these don't take much room.

I like to have some chopped fruit to nibble on festive breakfasts, just to offset lots of rich food at other times.

I would try and bring lots of nibbles from M&S or similar, to make it easy. (Maybe check that there is at least a couple of baking trays for the oven). Sharing packs of crisps/tortilla chips and dips.

We do this every second Christmas with my parents and siblings- 22 of us in total! I’d advise planning an easy meal for the first night- a big lasagne or similar that can be made in advance and frozen (or bought from
Cook or similar!) then just needs heating when you arrive, with some salad etc. The last thing you want is to be faffing about prepping veg etc on the first evening.

Also, we usually take a huge pan of soup (frozen!), cheese, quiche, cold meats and part baked baguettes and that covers most lunchtimes.

Sorry, DD distracted me there.

I like lots of nibbly things for Christmas, both sweet and savoury. So crackers and cheese, pate, cured meats, cooked seafood (smoked salmon, cooked prawns etc), cherry tomatoes, pickles, ....and various types of crisps, mince pies, things with chocolate, naice biscuits, and some fresh fruit. Part baked bread is handy if there are no shops near or you can't be sure they'd be open (and easy to bring back and use at home if you find a lovely local bakery that would be better!).

I also like to have proper ground coffee from the cafetiere for leisurely breakfasts, and we have a metal cafetiere that is relatively bombproof that we bring away with us. And a lovely marmalade/jam for those leisurely starts.

A good book each, and maybe a local guidebook.

Warm clothes in layers, house may be cosy or freezing - and also something to wear on your feet indoors (slipper socks, cosy thick hiking socks, actual slippers etc) if not wearing shoes.

And also drinks - not just alcohol but mixers, soft drinks (we often bring a lot of fizzy water and nice cordials to mix), favourite hot drinks etc. And perhaps, if you like a snifter, a dash of brandy for French coffee or into grown up hot choc, etc. Cream for hot chocs and posh coffees and over mince pies.

A pack (or 2) of ready rolled all-butter puff pastry and a pack of good sausage meat (along with a good handful of cooking apple grated into the meat - lush!) means you can knock up some sausage rolls very quickly and easily.

I always want the makings of a full fry - we might do a full fry, or bacon butties, or sausage sandwiches, or use parts to make a pasta dinner some night we want a lighter meal...so very useful. And eggs have so many uses too! And cheese - regular cheese for cooking, (eg a bag of decent grated cheddar or emmentaul or mozarella to sprinkle into omlettes or over a toastie or on top of tomato soup) quite apart from the makings of a cheeseboard.

People have already said the emergency loo roll and kitchen towel - I add a pot scrubber to the shopping list, and have a washup brush in my box, and usually also bring at least 1 good cloth and a bottle of spray cleaner from home if I am driving - just in case there is a need for it and its' not there (lots of places are very poor on cleaning materials). And a spare hand towel and handful of teatowels too for the kitchen.

I normally also bring a hairdryer as it is vital to me and often not supplied - but I have a travel sized one anyway.

But then I get myself a lovely luxury shower gel (or bath bubbles if there's a bath) for the few peaceful moments I get there too.

Sorry, I know that's all a bit scattered, but hopefully its' helpful.

You guys are amazing! Thank you so, so much for the recommendations, I really do appreciate it!

Wellies for the walks you will want to do with the dogs, so you are not too restricted as to where you go.

Oh yes @newnortherner111 - good shout!

Tea towels and hand towels for the kitchen and bathroom. About 2x the tea towels you think, and enough to change the bathroom ones every other day.

Re: Christmas tree - DH is a December birthday and loves a festive weekend away. I have this down to a fine art! Small potted real tree already decorated in your own home (ours lives on a tray table that folds down in the kitchen). Simply unplug lights, pop in boot and re plug upon arrival!
I also take a few strings of fairy lights, some Christmas blankets and a bunch of festive greenery from M&S plus a vase.

A few board games
Pack of cards
Echo dot or Bluetooth speaker

I've had Christmas away three or four times. the property has always been decorated.

Thanks all! @CarlaH I double checked last week and it’s definitely not going to have any decorations… I’m wholly disappointed - over £2000 for the 4 nights and not a tree!

Did you manage to find a restaurant for 25th that welcomes dogs, OP?

Hi @GreenClock yes we did! I tried a lot of places, and eventually found one around a 15 minute drive away. It has a nice menu, the manage is super friendly (which I hope will mean we are made to feel welcome) and they allow dogs too

Depending on how scattered you each have separate non-perishable food at home in case you can’t travel. Maybe a big lasagne or some sort of turkey dish frozen. Might not be Covid - flu, broken leg. If you don’t need it (very much hope you don’t) you can have further celebrations in the New Year.

@Poppins17

Thanks all! *@CarlaH* I double checked last week and it’s definitely not going to have any decorations… I’m wholly disappointed - over £2000 for the 4 nights and not a tree!

Well that seems very poor. I am sorry to hear that.

I'm sure you will have a great time anyway and at least you know in advance.

@CarlaH thank you… a tree and decorations are on my list of things to take!

Took me ages to find this thread so commenting again now so it’s easier to find… just checking the lists everyone gave so I know I have everything!